02 Serena Strikes Back
by brentus
Summary: Serena's return has everyone acting strangely:  Blair is bitter all the time, Nate is avoiding her and Chuck is treating people like, well, people.  Why doesn't anyone seem happy to see her?  Why is she suddenly calling the shots?  What is she hiding?
1. Uninvited

_*** Disclaimer: I do not own these characters in part or whole. This work is purely fictional. They remain the property of the original author and publisher. ***_

_Author's Note: This is the second installment of my Gossip Girl stories. For the events leading up to this story, please see_ "The Calm Before the Storm"

**Uninvited**

Jenny ran down the hall toward the banquet hall that the Basses's brunch was being held in. She was much later than she planned to be. She hoped Blair and Chuck wouldn't see this as a sign of disrespect. She was already in a precarious enough situation without incurring their wrath.

She threw the door open and saw that the guests were just starting to take their seats. Scanning the room, she saw Blair, Chuck, Nate and a beautiful blonde girl sitting at a table at the front of the room. She composed herself and headed in that direction.

While she walked, she couldn't help but notice that Blair and Chuck looked very annoyed. Nate simply looked uncomfortable. She wasn't sure who the blonde girl was, but she figured her to be the cause of the tension at the table. As she went to sit with them, Chuck looked up and gave her a puzzling look. She said nothing as she sat beside Nate. She noticed that Kati and Isabelle were not present.

"Oh, right," he muttered, "I forgot that I'd invited you."

Blair glanced from him to her. She looked back at Blair and shrugged. She wasn't sure how she felt about Blair anymore. Blair had helped Chuck make that awful video of her, after all.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she stated softly.

The blonde girl smiled at her.

"Hi," she greeted, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Serena."

"Hi," Jenny replied, "I'm Jenny."

Serena continued smiling at her. Jenny could feel Blair and Chuck glaring at her, so she cleared her throat and looked down. Serena's presence was clearly not appreciated.

"I actually just got off the train when I heard your family was having brunch," she told Chuck, "I'm glad I heard the news otherwise I might have missed it."

Chuck snickered as he looked away.

"You can't miss an event you weren't invited to," he stated coldly.

Serena didn't seem to be offended by this clearly snide remark. She continued smiling at Chuck and then at Blair.

Jenny wasn't sure who Serena was, but she could tell it was apparent that she, Blair, Chuck and Nate had a history. She couldn't imagine someone taking such a nasty comment so lightly unless she had known Chuck for ages. Even though it wasn't directed at her, the brutality of the remark made Jenny uncomfortable.

"Well, I just wanted to surprise you, Chuck. I know how much you love surprises."

The icy glare Chuck gave Serena made Jenny shiver. Blair's eyes were nowhere near as intense as Chuck's, but they also made Jenny nervous. Who was Serena and why were Blair and Chuck so furious with her?

"Excuse me. I have to welcome the guests."

He rose from his seat and walked out in front of the table. Jenny noticed Blair watching him with admiration in her eyes. Serena was also watching Chuck, but Jenny couldn't decipher the expression in her eyes. Nate was simply staring at the plate before him. He hadn't said anything since Jenny arrived.

"Are you okay?" Jenny asked him.

He looked up and gave her a vague, half smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, "Just tired."

"Shh!" Blair hissed bitterly.

Jenny looked at Blair. She glared at Jenny then resumed watching Chuck. Jenny figured this was a cue for her to follow, so she looked up at Chuck, too. She could tell that Serena was watching her avidly.

"Greetings, friends. I know that if my father was here this morning, he would thank you all for eating his food..." Chuck began.

There was a polite chuckle. Jenny looked around and noticed that a lot of the other guests were casually whispering amongst each other. Something was going on.

"Did Chuck say his parents aren't here?" Serena queried.

"Yes, Serena," Blair snapped, "They're away on business. They do have a chain of hotels to run, after all."

"Relax, Blair, I'm just asking."

Blair pursed her lips and returned her attention to Chuck. Out of the corner, Jenny thought she saw Nate smile. When she looked back, she saw his face straining. He was trying to conceal his grin.

"What?" Jenny asked.

Nate looked up at her. He snickered softly and shook his head.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Nate!" Blair shrieked silently.

He cleared his throat and looked down again. A slow smile began spreading on Jenny's face. Blair was extremely uptight and it was rather amusing. She cleared her throat as well and looked back up at Chuck. He was heading back to the table.

"So, Serena, when are you leaving?" he asked without a hint of pretence.

"Oh, I'm not leaving at all," she clarified, "I missed you all way too much! I figured I would spend our senior year with my best friends."

Everyone was looking at Serena this time, even Nate. Blair looked unimpressed. Chuck had a cold, mysterious expression on his face. Nate just looked confused.

"Where have you been?" Jenny asked before she realized what she was doing.

Attention shifted to her and she suddenly wished she was invisible. Serena smiled brightly at her.

"I took a year off to study abroad," she answered as she smiled at Chuck, "But I figured it was time to come back to the city."

"Really?" Chuck shot hostilely, "I must have missed the part where I invited you back."

"Hey, do you want to go for a walk?" Nate asked Jenny suddenly.

She looked over at him. He had a look of urgency in his eyes.

"Um, sure-"

"No," Chuck refused, "No one is going anywhere, except Serena-"

"Actually, Chuck, I'm not going anywhere," she replied coolly, "Although, if Blair, Jenny, and Nate would give us some privacy, I would really appreciate it."

Blair gave Serena such an incredulous look that Jenny was worried Blair was going to attack her. Jenny then looked over at Chuck, who was appraising Serena quietly.

"Blair, if you don't mind," he said finally.

Blair's eyes fell to Chuck.

"Excuse me?" she demanded shrilly, "Who do you think you-"

"Blair!" Chuck growled.

A few of the older guests from other tables were looking. Blair noticed this, smiled politely and composed herself.

"Fine," she agreed through gritted teeth.

Blair, Jenny, and Nate headed out into the hall. Nate looked over at Jenny.

"So, about that walk?" Nate asked.

Jenny smiled. Nate was actually inviting her to hang out with him!

"No," Blair refused, "Jenny and I have plans."

"We do?" she asked, confused by Blair's comment.

Jenny could understand by the look in Blair's eyes that spending time with Nate was forbidden.

"Um, maybe some other time?" she offered Nate weakly.

Nate sighed and shook his head.

"Fine," he muttered as he walked away from them.

Blair was standing face to face with Jenny.

"You should know that spending time with your friends's exes is unacceptable."

"I didn't realize we were friends," Jenny stated coldly.

Blair smiled faintly.

"We may not be close friends, but we definitely have more in common than I'd care to admit," she mused.

"Did Chuck-"

"You can go now. And Jenny? I better not hear from anyone that you were spending time with Nate. I mean it."

Jenny nodded. Blair headed back into the banquet hall.

So, Nate and Blair weren't dating anymore? Blair hadn't mentioned that earlier... Is that why Nate looked so uncomfortable? Or did it have to do with Serena? Who was she? Where had she been? Why did she come back? And why did it bother Blair, Nate and Chuck so much? Jenny decided to head home, completely unaware that everything she had known about the Upper East Side was about the change.


	2. Help! I Need Somebody

**Help (I Need Somebody)**

Dan grabbed his phone and began scrolling through his contacts. He wasn't sure she'd listen to him if he called, assuming she even answered. Still he had to do something. She was his sister and she needed help.

"Dan, I'm still not talking to-"

"V! Please, don't hang up. I need your help; it's Jenny."

Dan waited for an indication that Vanessa was going to tell him off or that she'd hung up. He couldn't tell what was happening.

"V?"

"What's wrong?" she asked after a heavy sigh.

"She's been hanging out with Chuck and Blair-"

"Gee, I wonder where she got it in her head that it was such a good idea," Vanessa shot bitterly.

"Come on, V, are we really going to-"

"Why not, Dan? You think you can just ignore then call me when you have a problem?"

"I didn't know who else to turn to-"

"Why not your best friend, Nate?"

"V, he's not my best friend, you-"

"Don't you dare say I am, Dan Humphrey!" she warned.

"Why not? It's true-"

"Is it? Then why did you ditch me so quickly for someone else? Why was it so easy for you?"

"Hey, it's not like I said you couldn't hang out with us! You're the one who flipped out and stormed off-"

"I did not flip out, Dan! I was simply proving a point-"

"By acting like a total bitch?"

Dan closed his eyes as soon as he'd said it. Never in his two years of friendship with Vanessa had he ever said anything so frank, even when she'd deserved it.

"So, I'm a bitch, am I?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"No, you're not a bitch-" Dan began hastily.

"Then what am I, Dan? What am I to you?"

"You're my friend," he assured her, "You're just... a bit abrasive sometimes."

She scoffed.

"Abrasive? Since when?"

"Since always, Vanessa! You're always coming down on me for everything little thing I do or don't do."

"I do not do that!"

"Yes, you do. You may not like to hear it, but you haven't been a very good friend. So, yeah, I ventured out and found new friends."

"Like Nate Archibald? What could you two possibly have in common?"

"A lot," Dan answered, suddenly doubting his own answer.

"Oh, really? Like what?"

Dan hesitated. He considered telling her that they both thought she was a bitch, but decided against it.

"Well, I'm not sure yet, but at least he doesn't treat me like shit-"

"I do not-"

"Yes, you do! Stop cutting me off, Vanessa!"

He heard her scoff again.

"You think you can treat me however you want because I have no other friends, but that's not true anymore. If you still want to be my friend, you better stop treating me like shit. I mean it!"

There was silence. Dan wondered if she had hung up or if she was planning to tell him off.

"Fine," she agreed sullenly.

"Okay," Dan replied, surprised that Vanessa had agreed to this, "Good."

"I don't treat you like shit," Vanessa muttered.

"I know-"

"I have been your friend for a very long time," she reminded him, "I've seen you go through a lot: raising your sister, watching your dad fall apart... I understand where you're coming from, Dan, but I don't appreciate being yelled at like that. I've done nothing but stand by you. Can you say the same for Nate?"

"I haven't even known Nate that long-"

"Exactly. Is he really worth risking our friendship for?"

"Risking our friendship for? What are you saying?"

"I appreciate what you want, Dan, more friends. It's fine. I just don't think that Nate is the kind of guy you want to be friends with. And if you're going to continue being his friend, I don't know if we can be friends."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to be there for you, Dan. I want a chance to make up for the way I've been acting this week. I don't know if I can do that if Nate is still around."

"You're making me choose?"

"I'm not making you do anything," she clarified, "I'm just giving you a heads up on how this can turn out."

"So, what? If I don't stop being friends with Nate, you'll stop being friends with me? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"I just think you need to get your priorities straight. I'm willing to help with Jenny, I'll talk to her for you and figure out where she's at. But I won't do all the work, Dan. I'll need your help, too. And you can't help me if you're not focusing on her."

Dan scoffed. This was very typical of Vanessa. She was blackmailing him. He considered it, though. He needed someone to help with Jenny; he was out of his league. He was worse a mother figure than a father figure. Jenny needed a positive female role model, someone other than Blair Waldorf. The only female he knew who wasn't like the girls at school was Vanessa. This is why he called her, after all. He needed someone to help him with Jenny. As much as it killed him, he knew he couldn't just toss Jenny aside for some new friend. He didn't even know Nate that well... He had known Jenny and Vanessa for a very long time.

"Fine," he agreed finally, "I guess I see your point."

"Good," Vanessa replied, "I don't want to seem like a bitch, Dan, I just need you to understand how important this is."

"Yeah, whatever-"

"I'm still your friend, Dan. I'm your only friend. I'm the only one who cares about you. You know that, right?"

"Sure," he muttered.

"Okay. I'll see you Monday morning, Dan."

"Right."

"Oh, and Dan? Don't forget to tell Nate."

She hung up. Dan sighed as he threw his phone on a chair. Some days, he just didn't get girls.


	3. Manic Monday

**Manic Monday**

Monday morning could not have come soon enough for Blair. Although she was the top student in her class, she was by no means a keener. Like her peers, she typically enjoyed her weekends. The previous weekend left her bitter and resentful.

Blair re-entered the banquet hall in The Palace after warning little Jenny Humphrey to stay away from Nate. While Blair was no longer interested in Nate, she was also not eager to see him move on so quickly, especially with some freshman from Brooklyn. Jenny wasn't exactly a friend of Blair's, but she understood the power and respect Blair commanded. It wasn't very difficult to get Jenny to see things her way.

The self-satisfying smirk Blair wore on her face faded quickly as she spotted Chuck and Serena talking. Chuck was pale and looked sick. Serena was serious, yet smug. Serena looked up at Blair and smiled.

"Hey, Blair!" she greeted, "I was just catching up with Chuck. I'm gonna go, but I'll call you later, okay?"

Serena rose to her feet, gave Blair a quick hug and left. Blair rolled her eyes as Serena departed.

"So, how soon till we take her down?" Blair asked conversationally as she resumed sitting with Chuck.

"We don't," he answered quietly.

Blair froze. Did he just say...?

"What?" she enunciated coldly.

"We're not going to do anything to her," Chuck clarified, "She's not worth the time."

"Not worth the time?" Blair repeated incredulously, "This is Serena van der Woodsen, Chuck! Do you really think I'm going to sit back and watch her take everything I've worked so hard for?"

"You think she really wants to be Queen-?"

"She doesn't have to," she shot, "It's who she is, she can't even help herself!"

"Whatever the case, I'm not going to get involved. I have other things to worry about-"

"Like what?"

Chuck shot Blair a frosty glare.

"If I wanted you to know, I'd tell you," he hissed, "You would be wise to mind your own business and follow orders, Blair. I mean it, do not do anything to piss Serena off."

He rose to his feet, checked himself over and continued to mingle with the guests at the brunch. Blair watched him carefully. This was very unlike him. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew one thing: Serena was blackmailing Chuck. What is was, Blair hadn't the faintest idea. She watched Chuck and swallowed a lump in her throat. He looked distraught. Though she hated to admit it to herself, it caused her great pain to see Chuck so worried. She would figure out a way to bring Serena down, for Chuck.

She sat on her bed staring at her phone. She was contemplating calling Serena to see if she wanted to meet up. It was Serena; she wasn't very bright. After all, she had thought it was a good idea to blackmail Chuck Bass. If Blair was lucky, she could get Serena to spill the news before the day was up. There was a knock on the door. Her father opened the door and smiled at her.

"Blair, Ethan and I thought it would be fun to go to Maine for the weekend to our cabin. Would you like to join us?"

"No," she answered simply.

She figured that while she hated Serena, the prospect of spending a weekend with Ethan was much more degrading. Her father nodded and left her to sit alone. She stared at the phone. While she wanted to begin her sabotage of Serena, she was reluctant to spend any time with her former best friend. It was Serena, after all.

When she still lived in the city, it was always about Serena. Everyone knew her, everyone loved her. Men would marvel at how gorgeous she was and women would envy her and aspire to be her. Next to the shining sun that was Serena, Blair was a mere candle. And it wasn't even that Serena wanted to outshine Blair. Every little thing Serena did got attention, whether she wanted it or not. And now she was back. How long until everyone was taking to her again and Blair was left without an empire?

She ran to her door and opened it.

"Daddy?" she called.

It was Monday now. Blair had unfortunately spent the entire weekend with her father and Ethan. She was itching to take her pent up rage on someone. Since that someone couldn't be Ethan, it may as well be Serena. She turned a corner and spotted the blonde phoenix herself turning heads as she walked down the hall to greet Blair.

"Hey! I tried to call you this weekend. Where were you?" Serena asked chipperly.

"I... had to go to Maine with my father and Ethan," Blair answered lamely.

She wasn't sure why she didn't come up with a better story than that, but she pushed the thought from her mind.

"Ethan? Oh, is that Harold's new-"

"Yes," Blair interrupted.

Serena hadn't bothered to call Blair when news of the divorce broke out. Serena must have known. After all, her mother, Lily, was still in town and Lily had heard about it. Blair felt better cutting Serena off before she could say it. She had no right to act as an authority or treat it so casually.

"Oh, too bad. I wanted to hang out. Hey, we should go for dinner tonight," Serena suggested brightly.

"I can't," Blair answered, "I have homework. I would figure you would too, since you're about three weeks behind the rest of us. How did you get back in, anyway?"

"I have friends in high places," Serena answered enigmatically, "You're right, though. I should focus on school. I really want us to do dinner sometime this week if you're free."

"Sure," Blair agreed, "You are my best friend, after all."

Serena smiled and hugged Blair. She winced and faintly returned the gesture.

"Great. I'll see you later."

Blair breathed slowly as Serena walked away. That wasn't so difficult, was it?

"Oh, and Blair?" Serena called.

Blair inhaled, closed her eyes and turned to face Serena with a faint smile on her face.

"I missed you!"

She turned the corner and disappeared. Blair pursed her lips. How dare she-

"So, you two are having dinner, are you?" a dark voice asked.

Blair's cheeks tingled. It was Chuck. She turned and faced him.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"I thought I told you not to-"

"I'm just having dinner with my best friend," Blair explained, "I thought you wanted things to go back to normal."

Chuck sneered as he caressed Blair's cheek.

"That's my girl," he whispered, "I advise you not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong, though."

She looked into his eyes. He was warning her.

"Chuck, I would never-"

"I sincerely hope not," he continued, "It would be very unfortunate for you if you did."

She nodded.

"I promise."

He held her cheek in his hand. She inhaled his natural musk. It made her weak in the knees. She wanted him so badly that she thought everyone could hear her mind screaming out for him.

"Good."

He released her and walked away. She noticed a few students staring at her. Let them stare. What did they know? Blair composed herself and headed to her first class. Scheming to bring down Serena and landing herself a Bass could not get in the way of a 4.0 GPA, after all.


	4. Why Can't We Be Friends?

**Why Can't We Be Friends?**

Nate Archibald felt guilty. He was about to tell Dan that they could no longer be friends, and he still hadn't figured out a good reason. As much as he wanted to tell Dan the truth, he knew it would only create more problems. Dan would freak out if he knew that his younger sister was the unknowing star of a Chuck Bass sex tape. Furthermore, he didn't want Dan to think he was like Blair or Chuck. He wasn't like them at all, and neither was Dan. That's why Nate enjoyed hanging with Dan. It was all about to end, though. Nate looked up and saw Serena walking toward him. He looked away. Seeing Serena made him uncomfortable, though he wasn't sure why.

"Hi, Nate!" she greeted as she hugged him.

He patted her back unenthusiastically. She was wearing a brand of perfume that Nate loved... He pulled away instantly.

"Hey," he greeted lamely.

"I tried to call you this weekend. Why didn't you call me back?" she asked.

"Oh, I had something to do..."

"Something that took all weekend?"

Nate shrugged.

"Sort of," he muttered, looking down.

"Hey. What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Nate, come on. It's me. You know you could never lie to me," she commented in a nearly singsong voice.

Nate felt warm inside, so he looked up. His breath became short and his heart swelled when he gazed into her deep, blue eyes. He couldn't help but smile back.

"There we go," she laughed, "Now, why don't you tell me what's on your mind, so we can worry about it together?"

He nodded.

"It's Chuck," he answered.

"Isn't it always?" Serena chided.

Nate snickered.

"You know that blonde girl at brunch?"

"Um... Jenny, right?"

Nate nodded.

"Well, she's the sister of this guy i know named Dan. Chuck..."

Serena watched him with her beautiful eyes. Nate didn't want to say it. He didn't want Serena to know. He didn't want anyone to know.

"What?"

"He... he's blackmailing me. He's threatened to do something terrible to her if I don't stop being friends with Dan."

Serena nodded.

"I see. What's he going to do to her?" she asked casually.

Nate shook his head violently.

"I can't say," he answered quickly, "It's bad, though. Trust me."

"Fair enough. Well, Chuck and I have an agreement," she advised him, "I think he'll understand that you're going to be friends with whomever you want."

Nate looked up at her.

"I know you've been gone for awhile, but have you forgotten who Chuck Bass is?"

"No. I know exactly who he is. That's why I feel confident that Chuck will pass on his blessing for you to make friends outside of our little circle."

Nate was confused. What was Serena talking about?

"... Really?" he asked sceptically.

"Yes, Nate, really," she promised, "So, go, find your friend. Have lunch with him, braid each other's hair... Hell, ride a tandem bicycle down Wall Street as far as I'm concerned. Just leave Chuck Bass to me."

So, he was right. Serena knew something. She was blackmailing Chuck, Chuck Bass of all people. What did she know, though?

"You and I should hang out together, though," she insisted, "I've missed you."

She hugged him again. He didn't return the hug. He didn't know why, but her return had him confused. Why had she come back? To blackmail Chuck? Was she looking for something more? Either way, Nate suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Sure," he muttered, "I'm going to go find Dan. He's probably in the lunchroom..."

"Great. That's where I'm going! Maybe you can walk me?"

Nate hesitated.

"Um, actually, I just remembered that I have to drop something off at my locker first. You go on ahead. Go... have lunch."

She frowned.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No," he answered, "I just... I have to go. Bye."

He turned and walked back down the hall. He could tell she was watching, so he had to turn the corner. He waited by a fountain for a few moments until he was sure she was gone.

What was going on? What was this? Why was he so reluctant to spend time with Serena? A year ago he would have walked on hot coals just to spend one minute alone with her. He spent a magnificent night with her. Somehow, she was different. He was different. He sighed and continued back down the hall, anxious to see Dan. Whatever he felt about Serena, she had promised that if he was still friends with Dan, that Chuck wouldn't do anything to him. Would she be able to deliver?

He entered the lunch room and looked around. He spotted Dan staring off into space alone. He looked over and saw Serena sitting with Chuck, Blair, and Jenny. He had to admit he was surprised to see Jenny still hanging with them. Perhaps Blair actually wanted Jenny as a friend...? Probably not, but whatever. He was also curious to notice that Isabelle and Kati were nowhere near them. Nate was pretty sure that Blair had ordered them to spend no time near Serena. Chuck was glaring at Nate intently, urging him to come sit with them. Nate looked over at Serena who smiled and nodded. Nate smirked at Chuck and headed toward Dan. Chuck's eyes went dark and his lips went narrow, but he made no indication that he was going to move. Serena patted him on the back and smiled at Nate. Nate smiled to himself as he sat down with Dan. Did that really just happen?

"You look amused," Dan commented miserably.

"I just... Hey, are you okay?" Nate asked when he looked into Dan's eyes.

Dan looked depressed. While Nate didn't know Dan that well, yet, he felt he knew Dan enough to know that Dan was not normally a miserable person.

"Not really. Vanessa and I had an argument this weekend," Dan muttered, "She just doesn't understand."

"Understand what?"

"Why... why we're friends."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she was quick to point out that we have nothing in common, except a few classes. We don't know each other that well, our parents aren't friends... Hell, before last Friday, you didn't even know who I was."

"That's not true, Dan-"

"Sure it is, Nate. Vanessa and I have been friends for a very long time, I can't just turn my back on her."

"I'm not asking you to-"

"I know, and I appreciate it. But she... she just isn't comfortable with us being friends. I have to do whatever it takes to show her my loyalty."

Nate scoffed lightly to himself.

"Loyalty? What is she, the Godfather?"

"Nate-"

"No, you made it very clear, Dan. I can't say I understand or respect your choice, but I'm not going to stop you," he snapped bitterly as he got up to walk away.

"For what it's worth, I'm very sorry," Dan called.

Nate shook his head. It was worth nothing. He looked over. Serena was watching him and she looked confused. Chuck was watching him and he looked pleased. Blair wasn't paying attention to him. Jenny was the only one who looked sorry. Did she know what Dan was going to do? He sighed and headed off into the hallway.


	5. Defiant Dan

*** Editor's Note: I apologize for the delay. To make it up, I'll submit two this time around =D***

**Defying Gravity**

It was Tuesday evening and Dan Humphrey already wished this week was over. Yesterday he told Nate that they could no longer be friends because Vanessa didn't want them to. Nate was pretty pissed. Dan couldn't blame him. Dan hadn't done a very good job explaining things. If he had, surely Nate would have understood why Vanessa was such an important friend to him and why he had to do whatever it took to get her talking to him, wouldn't he?

Vanessa and Dan had been friends for a very long time. She was there for him when no one else would be, when he had no friends otherwise. He couldn't just turn his back on that in favour of a new friend whom he hardly knew. Vanessa was right to point this out to him.

Jenny opened the door and stared at her brother. They hadn't been speaking much this week. They had argued before Jenny disappeared to the Basses' brunch on Saturday and they hadn't made up since then. This was the first time they'd been in the same room since then. He looked at her and stared back at the screen of his laptop.

"I'm surprised you even came home," he muttered.

"Whatever, Dan. At least I have friends," she shot, "I heard Nate told you he doesn't want to be your friend anymore."

Dan scoffed.

"What? He didn't say that," Dan told her, almost laughing at the thought.

"Then why hasn't he been sitting with you at lunch these last few days?" she wondered.

"... We had a disagreement," he answered quietly.

"About what?"

"... Don't you have a party or something to go to?" he asked impatiently.

"Actually, I am having lunch with Blair, Chuck, and Serena tonight," she confirmed, "That's right. I'm still friends with them."

"Good for you. You better get going. I know Blair hates it when you're late."

"What? You're not even going to try and stop me?"

"It didn't work before, did it?"

"... Seriously, Dan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jen."

"You're also a terrible liar. Why don't you call Nate and just apologize or whatever?"

"Because I can't," Dan sighed, his brain starting to hurt.

"Well, fine, why don't you talk to Vanessa?"

"Great idea," he agreed, "I'll do that."

He knew she was still staring at him, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't any of her business.

"Whatever, Dan. You know, if you stopped being so miserable, you might actually enjoy life once in awhile."

"Good advice, Jen. Thank you."

She sighed and disappeared into her room. Dan was annoyed. She had touched on two subjects he just didn't want to talk about, but it was the latter that really angered him.

Vanessa was still being cold toward him, even after he ditched Nate. She was making him suffer, he knew it. She wanted to see how serious he was about his commitment. Was it not enough that he told off the only other friend he'd made in years? What more did she want from him? Dan would never do such a thing to her. In fact, Dan never...

He paused. He had never done anything like that to Vanessa. He had never put any terms or conditions on their friendship. He had always respected her for who she was. Why was she so unable to do the same? Or was she just unwilling?

He pulled out his phone and called her.

"Dan? What do you want-"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm about to call Nate and apologize for what I said earlier," Dan told her.

"What?" she asked coldly.

"You heard me, Vanessa. I was wrong to choose you over him-"

"Oh, really?" she demanded.

"Yes. I would never do to you what you're doing to me. I would never make you choose-"

"Because I would never choose anyone before you-"

"I am not choosing either one!" Dan retorted, "Not once did I say you weren't welcome to hang out with us."

"Like I want to hang out with Nate Archibald! He stands for everything that is wrong with this world!"

"Maybe you're just too narrow-minded to realize that not everyone fits into neat categories like you want them to," Dan shot.

"You're just too naive to realize that Nate is just using you to piss of Blair and Chuck. Why would Nate Archibald want to be your friend?"

Dan's body tensed up at this comment. She had finally said it. She said what he knew she was going to say all along.

"Why would anyone, huh, Vanessa? Maybe because I'm fun? You know, I actually do know how to have fun, unlike you. I'm also pretty funny, Vanessa. I tell jokes. I never do any of that with you because you never want to. It's always about making a statement with you. Other people actually appreciate me for who I am."

"I do appreciate you-"

"No, you don't. You tolerate me because I'm the only one who talks to you. You put up with me because before Nate, I had no one, like you."

"I have friends-"

"You have no one, Vanessa! I do, now. I have a new friend and he deserves to have me as a friend way more than you do!"

Dan hung up and caught his breath. He couldn't believe what he'd just said to Vanessa. Jenny was watching him, her jaw dropped. A slow smile spread across her face and she began chuckling.

"Oh, my God, Dan! Did you really just do that?"

"I... I think so."

She laughed.

"Wow! That was... I mean, I always hoped you'd realize she treats you like shit, but that was amazing!"

"It felt amazing," Dan confessed.

Jenny smiled as she headed out the door.

"Hey, Jen?"

"What?"

"I just... I wanted to apologize for what I said on Saturday. I just worry about you. Blair and Chuck..."

Jenny nodded.

"But, I mean, maybe Vanessa is wrong. Maybe they're not all like that. That blonde girl? I don't know her, but... I don't know. Is she nice?"

Jenny paused as she thought about this.

"I think so. I don't really know her too well, yet, but she seems nice enough."

"Well, see then? There you go. Maybe we just attract the nice ones."

Jenny laughed.

"Maybe. I have to go. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'll be fine."

Jenny smiled and headed out. Dan opened his phone and found Nate's number in his speed dial. He called Nate, unsure he would answer.

"Dan, look, I'm really not-"

"Nate? Please, don't hang up!" Dan pleaded.

There was a pause and Dan's insides became tense.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I... I called to... see if you wanted to watch a game tonight?"

"There are no games on tonight," Nate informed him coldly.

Dan swallowed hard. This was going to be tougher than he thought.

"... But if you wanted to come over and watch a Western, I guess that would be okay," Nate muttered.

"Great. I'll see you in twenty."

"Fine."

Dan hung up, grabbed his jacket, and ran out the door.


	6. Dirty Little Secret

*** Editor's Note: As promised, here's the second story of the week =) ***

**16 Dirty Little Secret**

Wednesday found Blair sitting in a quaint bar waiting for Serena to arrive for their dinner date. Blair had to admit that she was extremely anxious about her evening. This was going to be the first time she and Serena were alone together. She had no genuine interest in seeing Serena, but she needed to figure out what Serena knew about Chuck. Whatever it was, Blair was certain she could get it out of Serena after only a few drinks. She just had to be careful. Chuck was already exceptionally sceptical of Blair and Serena's meeting as it was.

Chuck had been very adamant that Blair not go snooping around in his personal affairs. Whatever his secret was, it was dark. It was something he wanted absolutely no one to know. And Serena, of all people, knew! How was this possible? How could he not tell her? Did he not know how much he meant to her? Did he not know much she cared about him? Ever since their first night together, he was all she could think of.

Last December, Nate and his family went out to Connecticut to visit his father's parents. With Serena gone since that summer, Blair was all alone in the city. That was, until Chuck Bass called her. It seemed that with her boyfriend away, Chuck was equally lonely. She was surprised by his call, especially since the two of them hardly spent any time together. She supposed it couldn't be worse than spending time at home.

Her parents' divorce was still fresh on everyone's mind. Four weeks had already gone by and the gossip showed no decline in the near future. Her mother had gained nearly one hundred pounds and had recently departed for a dietary clinic. Needless to say, the holiday season was nowhere near as cheerful for Blair as it should have been. Spending a night with Chuck couldn't possibly make it any worse for her.

The beginning of the night was extremely tame and boring for Blair. Chuck paid more attention to other women in the bar than her. She wasn't too surprised; this was Chuck Bass after all. The tone changed when Chuck began paying more attention to her.

Initially, Blair found it awkward. This _was_ Chuck Bass, after all. When he came onto women, it was usually because he was looking for his next victim. He genuinely seemed to relax with Blair, though, and as they continued drinking, he even started laughing and joking with her. She was surprised to see how much she enjoyed his company. She had never noticed before how handsome and charming he was. To be fair, it wasn't her fault. It was Chuck Bass, after all.

As the night continued, her feelings toward Chuck began to change rapidly. Chuck was paying attention to her, something Nate never did. Chuck made her feel alive. Everything with her was usually work, work, work. It was so nice to let her hair down and actually have fun.

Chuck smiled at her and brushed some hair out of her face. She held his hand for a moment. It was so soft. It smelled so good. His eyes met hers.

"You are exquisite," he whispered.

She held his hand. It sent chills through her spine.

"You're perfect," she replied softly.

"Nate is lucky to have sampled such beauty."

He leaned in and smelled her. She shuddered.

"So tender."

He backed away and she looked into his eyes with longing. She didn't want to say the words. She hoped Chuck would understand from the look she wore. He smiled to himself.

"Nate hasn't sampled you, has he?"

She shook her head.

"How unfortunate. Something as delicious as you begs to be tasted."

"Uh huh."

"I bet you taste like strawberries," he whispered.

"Uh huh..."

He placed his hand on her thigh.

"I love strawberries," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her neck.

She let out a soft, high-pitched moan. He grabbed her and led her out of the bar. They got into an elevator. Chuck swiped a card and pressed the button for the penthouse.

It took forever to reach the top, even though no other passengers got on. Blair was thankful for this. She had no idea that anything could feel so great. Her body shot with electricity. The door opened. Chuck lifted her in his arms and brought her to the bed.

He threw her on it and began taking off his clothes. Blair had never noticed how sexy Chuck was before. She had never appreciated his natural musk. Chuck was a God.

He stood before her, naked and fully erect. Blair had never seen a penis before, but she was certain that Chuck's was perfect. He walked over to the bed and climbed over. He lifted her dress and cast it aside. With one swift motion, her bra was off. He cupped her breast in his large hand.

"So soft," he grunted.

His hand grazed her thigh as he kissed her passionately. She squirmed playfully as he removed her underwear. He looked into her eyes.

"You are mine," he told her.

She nodded. He held himself up with one hand and used the other to guide his engorged member into her.

It was long and thick. She closed her eyes, praying it wouldn't hurt. She knew it would, though, and this only excited her. She arched her back to accommodate Chuck's enormous erection. She screamed out as he finally entered her fully. He didn't notice or ignored it. He began pumping and Blair was overcome by bliss.

She awoke the next morning, fear surfacing immediately. What had she done? She left as quickly as possible. It wasn't until later the following week that Chuck revealed that he had filmed the entire episode. He warned Blair to maintain herself, otherwise he would leak their tape. He didn't need to threaten her. She was enamoured and would do whatever he told her.

This was something she had to do for him, though. She needed to find what Serena knew so she could fix it. She loved Chuck Bass and would do anything for him. She paused as Serena entered the bar. She cleared her throat and straightened herself out. It was show time.


	7. HIgh Times

**17 High Times**

Nate sat on the couch in perfect bliss. He looked to his left and saw Dan, who was completely mellow. It was Dan's first time getting high and he was taking awhile to adjust.

"You okay?" Nate asked casually.

Dan nodded, his eyes not moving from the television screen.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered.

Nate smiled to himself. It was nice to see Dan not so worried for once. When he came over the other day, he was stressing out about how upset Vanessa was going to be with him. Dan had essentially told her to "fuck off". Nate was proud of Dan. Vanessa was the most unpleasant person Nate had met. That was saying a lot. Nate once knew a crazy girl named Georgina Sparks. In comparison, Georgina was a saint.

Dan's phone beeped. He looked down at it and snickered.

"Vanessa is going to be so pissed off once I finally start talking to her again," he commented.

Nate nodded.

"Yeah, she's pretty uptight," he agreed.

"Uptight? She's a downright bitch when she wants to be. I mean, sure, she's cool and all, but..."

"Oh, I know, right? Yeah, Blair's hot and all, but she was always coming down on me for not working as hard as she does. Who wants to be thirty by the time they graduate?"

"Next time she comes down on you, you go down on her," Dan suggested.

Both boys broke out laughing. Dan keeled over, laughing maniacally. It Nate didn't know Dan better, he might be annoyed by Dan's childishness. However, Nate knew how much Dan needed to cut loose and have some fun. Dan deserved it once in awhile.

From what Nate was gathering, Dan didn't have much of a life. His mother had died four years ago and his father completely fell apart. Since then, it had been up to Dan to take care of him and Jenny. Dan didn't complain about it, but Nate could tell Dan didn't love the situation. With Jenny spending all her time with Blair, Chuck, and Serena, Dan had time to himself.

Nate was careful to talk as little as possible about Chuck. The video he had seen haunted his mind. Chuck had claimed another victim. While Nate seldom took an interest in Chuck's conquests, this time was different. Jenny was Dan's little sister. Nate didn't want Dan to think he was like Blair and Chuck. He was nothing like them. Nate decided in the end it was best to keep his mouth shut about the whole ordeal.

"Hey, Earth to Nate. Where's your head at?"

Nate glanced over at Dan.

"Huh? Oh, nowhere. Just enjoying the peace and quiet, you know?"

Dan shrugged.

"I guess. Are you okay? You look deep in thought."

"Oh, I'm just thinking about the world," Nate muttered, "It's crazy, you know?"

Dan frowned.

"Maybe?"

"Well... Everyone wants us to figure out everything by the time we're eighteen. We need to know every last detail of what we're going to do with our lives. What if something happens? What if tomorrow, I died? All that planning would be for nothing, wouldn't it?"

Dan nodded.

"I say, we should just live for the moment. And we should live it our own way, not the way other people want us to."

Nate couldn't help but think of his parents. Their failed marriage was still a dark secret for them. Nate hated that they put on a fake show for the world. Who cared what everyone else thought that they were no longer in love? They should be able to come forward and tell the truth without punishment. The chains of oppression were one thing Nate did not love about the Upper East Side.

"Some people just aren't that brave, I guess," Dan commented.

"Well, I am... Or, at least, I want to be."

"Then why don't you?"

Nate shrugged.

"This world... It's crazy. Sometimes I wish I could just go away and invent a new me. Pretend I'm somsone else. I wouldn't have people treating me different because I'm an Archibald or because of who my grandfather is. I could just be me."

"No offense, but you're just Nate to me. Nothing special... You know what I mean."

Nate smiled. It meant a lot that Dan saw Nate, and not Nate Acchibald, grandson of William van der Bilt. Even though Nate's mother no longer spoke to her father, people still treated Nate different. Being a vna der Bilt had that effect. Nate was glad that the name van der Bilt didn't mean anything to Dan.

While Nate had spent his whole life in the light because of his last name, Dan hadn't. Nate wondered what it must be like to walk in to a room and not have people approach you in hopes of getting a good word in with your grandfather? How did people react when they didn't know your last name? What did people say when you were just some guy? Not that Dan wasn't amazing by his own right. The more Nate got to know Dan, the more he was impressed. Dan was someone Nate could never be. He had done so much and been through so much. He was more of a man than Nate, and Nate's birthday was six months before Dan's. All Nate knew for sure was that getting to know Dan had definitely been a good choice. And Nate hoped that Dan was getting to know him and thought the same thing.

Nate smiled to himself. At that moment, everything seemed to be pretty awesome.

"Nate. Did I lose you again?"

Nate looked up into Dan's eyes.

"No, not at all. Hey, wanna play some Halo?"


	8. Unlikely Allies

**18 Unlikely Allies**

As the elevator began to move, Vanessa's insides tightened. She was sick at the thought of what she was about to do, but she had no other choice. Dan wasn't talking to her, he wasn't returning her calls. It was clear that she was losing him to Nate Archibald, and she needed to act quickly.

Dan's verbal attack on her was completely unprovoked. She knew it. Dan had to know it. He probably didn't care, either. There was no doubt in her mind that Nate had put him up to it. He probably turned Dan against her. She shuddered when she thought of the two of them spending time together. Didn't Dan see it? Was he so blind? Nate _cared _about Dan. She doubted Dan had reciprocal feelings for Nate, but she couldn't risk that they might develop. They laughed too much when they were together. Nate smiled too brightly when he saw Dan. He paid Dan way too much attention.

Dan loved the attention, too. That's what made Vanessa sick. Nate was willing to lower himself to appease to Dan's ego. How was Vanessa supposed to compare with that? She had a much deeper sense of self respect than that. Dan always acted as if his life was so bad. What did Dan Humphrey know about suffering? The Native Americans knew suffering. Vanessa had read about it.

Then there was Jenny. When Nate entered the picture, Dan practically asked Vanessa to take care of her for him. This wasn't Vanessa's job. She was willing to help Dan work together, but she sure as hell wasn't going to take over the job herself so Nate and Dan could spend more time together.

Vanessa sighed in frustration. As long as she could get them apart, she would be able to win Dan back, she knew it. She just had to get him away from Nate. And there was only one way that was going to happen... The elevator stopped and the doors opened.

As soon as she emerged, she regretted her decision. The suite she entered reeked of excess wealth. It was the lair of Chuck Bass and it was clear that Chuck appreciated nothing, understood even less, and was not even familiar with the word grateful. She was surprised to see that the walls weren't painted with liquid gold. Chuck came walking over, eying her suspiciously.

"I thought we had security," he muttered, "Unless... Are you the new maid?"

"Excuse me?"

"If you're here to ask for a donation for charity, you can save your breath," he shot, obviously confused by her lack of hair.

Vanessa was proud to say that she was not your typical Constance girl. While the other girls wore whatever they were told, wore their hair in the latest styles, and painted their faces with all sorts of makeup, Vanessa was not that kind of girl. She was a role model and unfortunately none of her peers saw her as one. It was this lack of attention that forced her to cut off her hair to show the other girls that you don't need the approval of others to be beautiful. Unfortunately, you do need to the approval of others in Constance to be taken seriously. Vanessa was aware that she was something of a joke or cautionary tale at school.

"I go to your school," she retorted.

Chuck narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"You're that weird lesbian, aren't you?"

"I'm not a lesbian!"

Chuck looked at her hair again.

"Really?"

Vanessa scoffed.

"I'm not-"

"As entertaining as 'guess my sexuality' might be for you, some of us have work to attend to, Leave."

"Not until I've had my say."

Chuck rolled his eyes.

"Don't think security will go easy on you because you're a lesbian."

"I'm not a- That is not the point. You and I can be of very great use to each other."

Chuck sneered.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"I highly doubt that."

"Luckily, it doesn't matter what you believe. What matters is the truth."

"And what is that?"

"Neither of us wants to see Dan Humphrey and Nate Archibald spending any more time together."

Chuck studied her for a moment.

"I could care less who Nate spends his time with-"

"That's a lie and you know it," Vanessa interjected.

Chuck shrugged.

"It's true. I have more important issues to attend."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," he answered, "But for the sake of curiosity, if I was interested, what did you have in mind?"

"Sabotage. Find a way to turn them against each other."

Chuck grinned wickedly.

"Sounds delightful. Well, I'm too busy at the moment, but Blair might be willing to help you."

"Blair? No, this offer is for you-"

"I said I'm too busy!" Chuck snapped, "If you're looking for a co-conspirator, seek out ?Blair Waldorf."

"Fine."

"She lives at-"

"I know where she lives!"

"Just like you know where I live? How did you, by the way? I certainly never invited you."

"School database. I have connections."

Chuck smiled.

"As do I. Let me know if any of them can be of use to you."

She grinned faintly back. This is exactly what she was hoping for.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a kink my neck that needs to be attended to. Unless, you-"

"Bye!"

Vanessa re-entered the elevator and it began to descend. She heard her phone ringing. It was a name she'd never seen before. She considered answering it, but decided not to. A voicemail appeared. She would check it later. For now, she had a date with Blair Waldorf.


	9. Big Girls Don't Cry

**Big Girls Don't Cry**

It was Saturday afternoon and Jenny was bored. She sat in her room, glancing over some books she had to read for homework. She felt somewhat embarrassed by the idea that doing homework classified as her plans for that morning.

Serena's presence was still having its effect on Blair and Chuck. Blair did not seem pleased to see her. Blair uttered fewer words to Serena than to Jenny. If anyone didn't know better, they might think that Blair actually liked Jenny. That wasn't true at all, though. Blair simply hated Serena more. As for Chuck, he was hauntingly quiet. Although Jenny had only known Chuck for a week, she felt qualified to say that this was uncharacteristic behavior. If it hadn't been for the fact that Chuck was a disgusting pig who was blackmailing her, she might have felt inclined to ask him what was wrong.

Jenny herself still hadn't decided how she felt about Serena. Serena seemed nice enough, but she questioned someone who went head-to-head with Chuck Bass. Either Serena was extremely brave or frighteningly foolish. Whatever the case, the fact that Serena was able to blackmail Chuck in the first place told Jenny that Serena was not someone to approach lightly.

Jenny wanted to approach Serena, though. She needed help. She no longer wanted to be part of Blair and Chuck's club, but Chuck wouldn't let her leave. He had that video and she knew exactly what he would do if she upset him. This was why Jenny was hoping for some sign that Serena was more of a saint than an evil bitch. Alas, there was no concrete evidence to support either theory, and so Jenny remained reluctant.

She heard knocking on her door. She sighed. It was Dan, of course. He was probably coming to criticize her for her friend choice or to lecture her. She rolled her eyes as she opened the door.

"What?" she asked, her voice full of irritation.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Nate's for the day. You'll be on your own for dinner."

"Fine, whatever."

Dan paused. He looked as though he was going to say something, but decided against it. He gave a lame wave and turned around. Jenny closed the door behind him and sat on her bed again.

Even her lame brother had plans. And with Nate Archibald, no less! It was so unfair. Dan was boring. He probably didn't care that he was friends with the hottest boy at school. They probably didn't even have any common interests. How was it that Dan was friends with Nate, while Jenny was stuck as collateral damage in a feud between old rivals?

For a split second, Jenny considered calling Vanessa. Vanessa had called her once to let her know that if she ever needed a friend, Vanessa was there. This was likely a plot of Dan's to try and reach Jenny. If Dan thought that the prospect of being friends with Vanessa Abrams was enticing, he was a clueless as he was bland. Why would Jenny befriend the school freak show? To further her social career?

Jenny couldn't take it anymore. The fact that seeing Vanessa was becoming an actual idea told her it was time to do something new. She decided to call Serena. After all, since her return, it had been Serena orchestrating every social scenario. She called Serena.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Serena? It's Jenny."

"Oh, hi, Jenny. Look, can I call you back? I'm just about to have lunch with Chuck-"

"Oh, lunch? Where at? Maybe I could meet-"

"This is actually a very private lunch. If you want, though, maybe we can all meet up for dinner later?"

"Dinner? Um, sure..."

Jenny doubted she had enough money to afford dinner. Blair and Chuck had such expensive taste, after all.

"Great. I'll call you. Bye."

Jenny hung the phone up. A private lunch with Chuck? What could they possibly have to talk about? Jenny's mind began wandering. What if he told her about the video? What would she do? Would she say anything? Would she sympathize? Fear began to overwhelm Jenny, so she grabbed her jacket and headed out of the loft.

She couldn't stay at home waiting for something to happen. She headed to Central Park and went on a long leisurely stroll. She was surprised to find her phone ringing. It was Vanessa. Jenny pondered and then decided to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jenny? It's Vanessa-"

"Yeah, I know. What do you want?"

"I... I was just wondering what you're doing today. I thought maybe we could hang out-"

"No," Jenny refused, "I'm out actually. Maybe another time?"

"Sure... What are you doing?"

"I'm going for a walk in the park. Listen, I need to go. My phone is almost dead."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

Jenny hung up. No, hanging with Vanessa would never trump boredom. She continued walking through the park, her fear slowly fading away into nothingness. Eventually, Jenny's feet began to tire and she found a nice, private bench to sit at. She sat, staring up at the sky wondering what was happening? Was Chuck telling Serena about the tape? Was Serena judging her? Was Vanessa laughing about hoe lame Jenny was? Were Dan and Nate having a great time, not caring that Jenny was bored to tears?

Everyone seemed to have other things to do. No one cared enough about Jenny to include her in their plans. Were these really the people she chose to surround herself with? What was she thinking? Just then, a short, thin girl with long, brown hair walked up beside her.

"Hi, is this seat taken?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, no. I was just leaving, actually-"

"Please, don't. I'm new in town and it would really mean a lot if I could say I made a new friend on my first day..."

Jenny considered this. Jenny had no real friends at the moment. Neither did this girl. She seemed sweet enough. Her smile was bright and she definitely had a great sense of fashion. Perhaps spending time with this girl wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

"Sure," Jenny agreed, "I'm Jenny, Jenny Humphrey."

"Hi, Jenny, my name is Sarah."

She smiled as she extended her hand. Jenny returned the gesture and shook the strange girl's hand.


	10. Desperate Measures

**Desperate Measures**

Chuck scowled bitterly as Serena briefly wrapped up her conversation with Jenny Humphrey on the phone. First, she woke him early in the morning after a night of conquests to tell him to meet her for lunch. It was practically an order! Then, she had the nerve to answer her phone? Chuck's patience was wearing thinner and thinner every moment.

"Great. I'll call you. Bye."

Serena hung up her phone and put it in her purse.

"What did Jenny have to say that was worth interrupting this little meeting?" he demanded.

"Meeting? Chuck, we're sitting in your living room since you refused to come out and meet me. By the way, I'm still upset about that."

"Whatever, Serena. What do you want?"

"I want you to lose the attitude, Chuck-"

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I," she snapped, "Your infectious good attitude is starting to wear off on others. They're all starting to wonder why you're suddenly listening to me."

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No, Chuck, but at least you can make this a little less conspicuous than it already is," she suggested.

"How would I accomplish that?" he shot, "By having a sleepover and braiding your hair?"

"I have no idea how you're going to do, but I do know that you will find a way. I have faith in your desire to keep our conversation from brunch a secret."

Chuck's eyes narrowed on her. He pursed his lips tightly together. He never appreciated how much he underestimated how cruel she could be. She met his furious gaze with apathy.

"So, do I have your word?" she wondered, "Are you going to start playing nice?"

Chuck sneered.

"Fine. Did I hear something about dinner later?"

"Yes, you did. I'll call you."

Serena rose from the couch and showed herself out. Chuck sat for a moment as he remembered their fateful encounter just one week ago.

Chuck had just dismissed Jenny, Nate, and Blair. Blair looked shocked, but both Jenny and Nate looked relieved. Chuck would have to remember that and find a way to even things out for them later. For now, his attention was focused on Serena and what it was she thought that gave her the right to come around making demands? She smiled enigmatically at him.

"So, is it weird seeing me back?"

"Not as weird as it is unpleasant. I don't remember sending for you."

She chuckled softly.

"I forgot how seriously you take yourself," she commented, "I might even dare to say I missed it-"

\"What do you want, Serena?"

"I want things to go back to the way they were before I left-"

"Not a chance-"

"Because if they don't, I'll be forced to do something I don't really want to."

"What's that? Go back to boarding school? I'll save you the trouble. No one will miss you-"

"I know about your parents, Chuck," she commented, as she looked away and took a drink of water from a goblet before her.

Chuck froze. She was lying. There was no way in hell she knew. Her eyes finally met his. It seemed as though she was waiting to see how he reacted. Poor, foolish Serena. Hoping to provoke him into saying something stupid? She really forgot who he was, didn't she?

"I don't know what you're-"

"Oh, sure you do. Even on the Upper East Side, incest and inbreeding are unacceptable."

Chuck's insides tightened and he found himself at a loss for breath. She was faking it. She had to be.

"Cousins, am I right?"

He felt tears of fury welling up. He fought the urge to vomit. She knew? SHE knew? How the HELL did Serena van der Woodsen know?

"Not even going to deny it? Well, good, because I have proof as well."

"If you say anything-" he growled in an inhuman tone.

"I don't plan to, Chuck. I don't want to do that to you or your family-"

"Then why are you here?" he demanded, his breathing laboured.

He could see a few of the guests watching him out of the corner of his eye, but he did nothing.

"I want to be home. I want to be with my friends-"

"You have no friends here!"

"Yes, I do. You, Blair, Nate-"

"We are not-"

"That's enough," she hissed, "You can try and convince me all you want that I don't belong here, but the truth is that I belong here just as much as any of you. Now, here's how it's going to happen. You are going to accept that I'm home. You are going to enjoy my presence. You'll convince Nate and Blair that it's a good thing. Do you understand?"

"And if I don't?"

"Do you really need me to say it?"

"You don't have what it takes," Chuck warned, "You think you do, but you don't-"

"I've been gone a very long time, "Serena reminded him, "I spent a lot of it hating you for what you did to me. Do you really want to risk that the old Serena still exists?"

Chuck bit his lip.

"I didn't think so."

Chuck looked down, heaving softly to himself. This couldn't be happening...

"Now, I'm going to go home and unpack. I'll see you Monday."

She rose from her chair and began to walk away.

"Oh, and Chuck?"

He looked up at her, tears in his eyes.

"I really missed you."

She turned and walked away.

Chuck sighed and glanced out the window. Did she really expect him to go along with it? He admitted to himself that the only reason he had gone along this far was simply to see how far Serena would go. A tiny part of him wanted to see her take the leap into the deep end. He wanted to see what she was capable of doing, but the repercussions were too great to risk. He needed to take action. He needed to send the message to Serena that she could not fuck with Chuck Bass and get away with it. He knew exactly how to do this.

He pulled out his phone and searched his contact list for a name, a name he hadn't uttered, let alone thought about, in ages. He found the name and dialed the number.

"Well, I must be dreaming," a girl's voice stated coldly, "My Caller ID told me that Chuck Bass is calling me."

"Don't over-excite yourself, Georgina. You know I wouldn't call unless I had something very important to say to you."

"Go on."

"You are never going to believe who's back in town..."

***Editor's Note: This is the last chapter in this story arc. Please visit my profile in the near future for the next story arc. It will be entitled, "03 Civil War"***


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